Muffler and ventilator system



Sept. 20, 1938.

,1. s. FLUOR, JR. ET AL 2,130,386

MUFFLER AND VENTILATOR SYSTEM 1 Filed May 4, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l I IJE FMSNz/w? Jr.

Sept. 20, 1938; J. s. FLUOR, JR; El AL 2,130,386

' MUFFLER AND VENTILATOR SYSTEM Filed May 4, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jain;SI /awn Jr. l ar/i'. ZlLJsh,

Sept. 20, 1938. V J. s. FLUOR, JR.. ET AL 2,130,336

MUFFLER AND VENTILATOR SYSTEM Filed May 4, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v I JPatented Sept. 20, 1938 PATENT err-"Ica- MUFFLER AND VENTILATOR SYSTEMJohn s. Fluor, Jr., and Park w. Ash, santa Ana, Calii'., assignors toThe Fluor Corporation Ltd., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation ofCalifornia Application May 4,1936, Serial No. 77,819

17 Claims.

This invention has for its general purpose to provide a novel heatingand ventilating system for stationary engine plants, that utilizes theheat from an air cooled exhaust pipe and/or muffler system to supplyheat to the engine room when needed, and which, if desired, may utilizethe exhaust pipe and mufiier cooling system as a 7 through which air iscirculated to cool the pipe and the combustion gases. In suchsystems theair flow may conveniently be induced by virtue of the high velocitydischarge of gases at the muifler outlet. In such systems, and asbroadly contemplated by the invention, the exhaust pipe and mufllercooling air may be taken either from the engine room or from the outsideatmosphere. Systems of this latter type comprise the subject matter ofPatent No. 1,966,620, issued to John S. Fluor, Jr., on July 17, 1934,for Muflier.

By the present invention we are able to adapt such systems to serve thecombined purposes of cooling the exhaust gas conduits, and supplyingwarm air to the engine room for Purposes of heating. And, as mentioned,the same system optionally. may include provision for exhausting warmair from the room. Ordinarily, the engine rooms are of large size andinvolve considerable expense for heatingin cold weather, since the heatradiated from the engines is then insufilcient to keep the' room warm.On the other hand, the radiated heat greatly increases the normal summertemperatures to the extent that it is highly desirable to keep a rapidflow of warm air from the room. Obviously, by being able to incorporatein the exhaust pipe and muiller cooling system, means for utilizing theordinarily wasted exhaust gas heat for the purpose of heating the roomwhen required, and, in the same system, means for cooling the room, weare able to effect substantial economies, as well as to combine insimple and inexpensive form, the equipment required to serve all theabove mentioned purposes.

The present system has various features of,

' control that enable it to operate in such manner as to conform withthe desired temperature conditions to be maintained in the engine room.Normally, the system may operate to circulate air to the exhaust pipeand muiiler, without af fecting the room temperature. When it becomesnecessary to heat the room, the system may then be adjusted todischarge'all or a portion of the warm air heated by contact with theexhaust pipe and mullier, into the room and, if desired, tosimultaneously exhaust air from the room. Or, .for the purpose ofcooling the room atmosphere, the system may be adjusted so that theexhaust pipe and muiiler cooling air stream acts to draw warm air fromthe room.

All the above mentioned features and objects of the invention, as wellas its various details of construction and operation, will be more fullyunderstood from the following dewription of certain typical andillustrative forms of the invention. Throughout the description,reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1 is a side elevation, partlyin section, illustrating a typical dualengine exhaust pipe and mufller cooling system embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the dualexhaust pipe and air conduit arrangement;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation as viewed irom line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged section showing' the air controlledvalve at the outlet end of the mufller; and e Fig. 5 is a view similarto Fig. 1, illustrating a variational form of the invention.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, we show an engine room l0 having side wallsll, ceiling l2 and floor l3, below which is a space H containing thefoundations for the diagrammatically illustrated internal combustionengines I5 and 15, see Fig. 5 2. Each of the typically illustratedengines has two pairs of exhaust pipes l6 discharging into pipe [1 whichconnectswith a main exhaust pipe [8 extending through the side wall Ilet the room at l9, and connecting at its outer end with a verticallypositioned mufller 20. The muflier 20 is shown somewhatdiagrammaticallywith the understanding that it may be of any suitable type andconstruction. The mufller is mounted within and annularly spaced from avertically extending stack, generally indicated at 2|, comprising alower,shell 22 of comparatively large diameter,

an intermediate upwardly tapered portion 23, and a discharge pipe 24.

As best illustrated in Fig. 4, the combustion gases are dischargedupwardly from the mufller outlet 25 into the throat formed'by thetapered wall 23 of the stack, the gases creating, by reason of theirhigh velocity flow, an upward draft Y inducing an upward flow of airwithin the annular passage 2 between the mufler and the stack typical, avertically adjustable valve 21 mounted all within the lower end of thestack outlet pipe 24, and movable downwardly to a seating position ofengagement with a frustro-conical flange II on the upper end of themuiller outlet 26. 'Ihe valve 21 comprises a cylindric portion 2!slidably fltted within the pipe -14, and carrying a pair of 7 bolts llprojecting outwardly through vertical guide slots 3! in the wall of thepipe. The valve is held in open positions by nuts 32 that are taken upagainst the outside of the pipe, and the bolts are extended, as shown,to provide handles for naming the valve. The lower end 33 of thevalve isflared outwardly to correspond with the angularity of bafile 28 of thestack'wall 28, so that in its clomd-position, see Fig.1, the valve seatsflatly upon flange 28, and in its wide open position, the flared portionll flts the stack wall 23.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the exhaust. pipes l0, l1 and I arejacketed by a conduit,

generally indicated at 34, through. which air is drawn from the roominterior along the surfaces of the exhaust pip and thence into the stackIi. Conduit it includes a pipe it placed concentrically about theexhaust pipe II and having an inlet end "a connecting with a jacket I,

t (the jacket being fltted over the inlet end or the pipe) and an outerendjolned at 31 to shell I! of the stack. The jacket ll. serves as aremovable air conduit applied to those portions of the exhaust pipesclose to the engine. As shown in l 'l 2, each Jacket includes branches"a made up of half-sections 31 and II bolted together along flanges I8,and placed about exhaust pipes l|,- the upper ends of the branches abeing closed about the exhaust pipes as indicated at N.

; Jacket sections". and II are attached at ll to the inlets ll of asection lib of thejacket placed about exhaust pipe II, and composed'ofhalfsictions l2 and 0 bolted together along flanges Air is taken intothe exhaust pipe surrounding conduit trough an inlet pipe ll projectedinto the end of jacket I and extending upwardly through floor ll of theroom. Pipe II is closed at its upper end and is provided with suitablemeans whereby the draft of air into the pipe from the room may beregulated. .As typical, the inlet pipe is shown to carry a rotatable airvalve ll having ports Ila movable into and out of registration withsimilarly arranged ports in the pipe,"

' During operation; at normal atmospheric tem-' peratures, and whenthere is no necessity for heating the engine room ll; valve 21 is keptopen a ,so that in each engine and muiller'unit, the up ward draftinduced the discharge of combustion gases mm the muner outlet It, actsto draw air into the conduit through the inlet valve: II and pipe ll,then through annular es II .and 41 between the exhaust pipe II, andjacket It and conduit II, respectively, and thence upthrough themuiliersurrounding e 22 into the stack outlet pipe2l. In-this manner, there isinduced. a rapid circulation of air along 1 substantially the fulllengths of the exhaust pipe and mother, thereby coolingth'e parts andlower- .ing of the exhaust gases. At the same time, the circulated airbecomes heated, and it is one of our primary objects to utilize theordinarily lost heat thus transferred to the air, for the purpose ofheating the engine room.

The stack shells 22 are connected at points below the muiller outlets bya conduit ll, see Fig. 3,

* tion,'and conduit 48 may be closed ofl from the stacks by any suitablemeans, as for example blind flanges (not shown) inserted between theflanges of the joints at It. It may be mentioned at this point thatwhile we have shown as a typical embodiment of the invention. a systeminvolving a dual arrangement of engines, exhaust pipes and muiilers,together with the air cooling jacketsand stacks, the invention is in noway limited tothis dual arrangement and may be adapted equally well to asingle unit system.

Assuming now that it is desired to heat the engine room, the valve 21 isdropped to closed position asshown in Fig. Land the blower ll is startedinto operation to draw the heated air from the mufllersurroundingpassages I: through conduit ll, and to discharge the airthrough pipe 5| into room ll.

Both the temperature and quantity of the warm air being forced into theroom may be controlled in any suitable manner. rotatable sleeve valves53, see Fig. 3, on conduit 4! may be adjusted to cool the air streambeing discharged into the room, by permitting the blower to draw intothe conduit through the valve controlled openings 54, the proportion ofatmospheric air necessary to keep down the temperature of the airdelivered to the room. Also we may regulate the quantity of air beingdis-' For example..-

movedto the left to increase the flow of air matically indicated at F,for conditioning the air being passed into the room.

In the operation ofthe invention as explained in the foregoingdescription, the exhaust pipe and muiller. cooling airinitially is takenfrom the engine room and may either be discharged to the atmosphere, orreturned to the room for heating purposes. In Fig. -5 we show a variestional form of the invention in its details to the previously describedembodiment,.except that it-provides. a system for initially taking airfrom the atmosphere outside the. room and circulating it, either with orwithout additional air being drawn from the room,-in the mannerpreviously described. In thevariational form, theopen end of ccnduit'll'terminates beyond the inlet-end of exhaustpipe ll to prosuitable means,such as a damper 63, whereby an adjustable proportion of room air may beadmitted.

In operation, assuming damper 63 to be closed, all the cooling air isdrawn from the atmosphere outside the room through passage 66 betweenpipe 62 and conduit into the open end 6i of the conduit, and thencethrough pas- ,sage 6'! into the mufiler stack. As before, the

air heated by contact with the exhaust pipe and muiiier either may bedischarged to the atmosphere, or it may be returned to the room throughpipe 59 'forheating the room. The system illustrated in Fig. 5 has anadvantage in that fresh air from the outside atmosphere is taken in toheat the room. By opening damper 63, the systern may operatesimultaneously to remove air from the room and to maintain a downwardcirculation of warm air from pipe 56 to the exhaust pipe air conduit.

The invention also contemplates adapting either of the described systemsfor operation in a manner such that the blower acts to force cooling airalong the muflier and exhaust pipe toward the engine, and thence intothe room or to the outside atmosphere, instead of the air fiow beinginduced in the opposite direction by the blower suction or muiilerdischarge according to the previously described methods. Thus, reierringto Fig. 1, under some circumstances it may be, desired to reverse theblower 33 (with valve 2?? closed) so as to cause air to be drawn throughpipe 55 either from the room interior of outside atmosphere, dependingupon the-adjustment of the damper 55, and to be discharged by the bloweralong the mufiler and exhaust pipe in a direction countercurrent to theexhaust gas flow. The warm air finally is discharged from the exhaustpipe conduit through pipe ii and the air valve it into the roomatmosphere,

Assuming the system shown in Fig. 5 to be operated with the blowerreversed. air taken in through pipe 58 is forced along the muffler andexhaust pipe to the outlet end 6! of conduit 35', and thence isdischarged through passage 66 to the atmosphere outside the room.Provision is made whereby a portion only, or if desired, substantiallyall the heated air, may be discharged into the room, by installing anadjustable damper 83 within the open end 52a of the outer pipe 62. Aswill be apparent, the system is capable of operating to take air eitherfrom the upper interior of the room .or the atmosphere outside,

and to discharge the air after it becomes heated by contact withthemufller and exhaust pipe, to

either or both the room interior or outside atmosphere. y

We claim:

1. In a stationary engine plant the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from the interior to the exterior of a room and connectedtoan enginetherein. a muflier connected to said. exhaust pipe outsidethe room and the interior of the room and discharging the air to theoutside atmosphere by the velocity eiiect of the combustion gasesdischarged from the muliier, and an annular valve within said passage,said valve being adjustable from the outside of said conduit to restrictthe flow of air being drawn from the room.

2. In a stationary engine plant the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from the interior to the exterior of a room and connectedto an engine therein, a muiiler connected to said exhaust pipe outsidethe room and discharging the combustion gases to the atmosphere, an airconduit surrounding and spaced from said exhaust pipe and muflier andhaving an open inlet end within said room, means for drawing air throughsaid conduit from the interior of the room and )discharging the air tothe outside atmosphere by the velocity effect of the combustion gasesdischarged from the mufller, and an annular valve at the gas dischargeend of said muflier, said valve being adjustable from the outside ofsaid conduit to restrict the flow of air thus being drawn from the room.

3. In a stationary engine plant the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from the interior to the exterior of a room and connectedto an engine therein, a muflier connected to said exhaust pipe outsidethe room and discharging the combustion gases to the atmosphere, an airconduit surrounding and spaced from said exhaust pipe and mufiier andhaving an open inlet end within said room, means for heating air bypassing it through said conduit in heat transferring relation with theexhaust pipe, and means for discharging the heated air into theatmosphereof said room from lhat portion of said conduit surrounding themuflier. i

tion comprising an exhaust pipe extending from the interior to theexterior of a room and connected to an engine therein, a muiiierconnected to said exhaust pipe outside the room and discharging thecombustion gases to the atmosphere, an air conduit surrounding andspaced from said exhaust pipe and muflier and forming an air pas sagehaving an inlet within said room, means for heating air by passing itthrough said conduit in heat transferring relation with said exhaustpipe and muffler, a pipe extending into said room an d connecting withthat portion of said conduit surrounding the muiller, and a blower fordischarging the heated air from said conduit through said pipe into theroom.

5. In a stationary engine plant the combination comprising. an exhaustpipe extending from the interior to the exterior of a room and connectedto an engine therein, a muffler connected to said exhaust pipe outsidethe room and'discharging the combustion gases to the atmosphere, an airconduit surrounding and spaced from said exhaust pipe and mufiler andforming an air passage having an inlet within said room, means forheating air by passing it through said conduit in heat transferringrelation with said exhaust pipe and muflier, a pipe extending into saidroom and connecting with that zportion of said conduit surrounding themuiiler, a blower for discharging the heated air from said conduitthrough said pipe into the room, and means for selectively passing the.heated air from the conduit to said blower or to the'atmosphere outsidesaid room.

6. In a stationaryengine plant the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from the interior tothe exterior of a room and connectedto an engine therein, a muiiier connected to said exhaust pipe outsidethe room and discharging the combustion gases to the atmosphere, an airconduit surrounding and spaced from said exhaust pipe and muiiier andforming an air passage, means for heating air by taking air from theatmosphere outside said room and passing it through a portion of saidconduit within the room and .in heat transferring relation with saidexhaust pipe and muiiier, a pipe connecting with said conduit at themuiiier and extending into said room, a blower for discharging theheated air from said conduit through said pipe into the room, and meansfor selectively passing the heated air from the conduit to said bloweror to the atmosphere outside said room 7. In a stationary engine plantthe combination comprising an exhaust pipe extending from the interiorto the exterior of a room and connected to an engine therein, a mui'flerconnected to said exhaust pipe outside the room and discharging thecombustion gases to the atmosphere, an air conduit surrounding andspaced" from said exhaust pipe andfmuiiier and having -an outlet endextending beyond the discharge end the muflier, air being drawn throughsaid conduit and discharged to the atmosphere by the velocity effect ofcombustion gases being discharged i'rom said end of the muiiier, and avalve positioned between the conduit and said dis- ,charge end of themuiiier, said valve b'eing adstream, a motor driven blower connected tosaid into said room,

conduit, a blower outlet conduit discharging and valve means torselectively passing heated air from said conduit to the first mentionedmeans or to said'blower.

9. In a stationary engine plant, the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from ,the interior to the exterior of a room 'and con-10. In a'stationary engine plant, the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending irom the interior tothe exterior of a room and connectedto an engine therein, means for conducting air along and inheattransferring relation with a substantial length of said exhaust pipe,said means comprising a jacket surrounding and spaced from thecomparatively hot portion of the exhaust pipe extending toward theengine, means for inducing air flow through said jacket by the velocityoi exhaust gases discharged through said exhaust pipe, and meansindependable for discharging heated air from said jacket into theatmosphere of said room. 4

11. In a-stationary engine plant, the combinapipe, said means comprisinga Jacket surrounding and spaced from the comparatively hot por: tion ofthe exhaust pipe extending toward the engine, means for inducing airflow through said jacket by the velocity of exhaust gases dis-- chargedthrough said exhaust pipe, and means independent of the last mentionedmeans selectively operable for discharging heated air from said jacketinto the atmosphere of said room.

12. In a stationary engine plant, the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from the interior to the exterior of a room and connectedto an engine therein, means for taking air from the atmosphere outsidesaid room and conducting the air along and in heat transferring relationwith a substantial length of said exhaust pipe, said meanscomprising a'jacket surrounding and spaced from the comparatively hot portion of theexhaust pipe extending toward the engine, means for inducing air nowthrough said jacket by the velocity of exhaust gases discharged throughsaid exhaust pipe, and means independent of the last mentioned meansselectively operable ior discharging heated air from said jacket intothe atmosphere of said room.

13. In a stationary .engine plant, the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from the interior to the exterior of a room and connectedto an engine therein, means for conducting air along and in heattransferring relation with a substantial length of said exhaust pipe,said means comprising a Jacket surrounding and spaced from thecomparatively hot portion of the exhaust pipe extending toward theengine, means for inducing air ilow through said Jacket by the velocityof exhaust gases discharged through said exhaust pipe, independent meansselectively operable to pass air through said jacket, and means forselectively discharging heated air passed through the jacket by the lastmentioned means either to the atmosphere outside said room or into theroom atmosphere.

14. In a stationary engine plant, the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from the interior tothe exterior or a room and connectedto an engine therein, means for taking air from the interior 0! saidroom and conducting the air along and in heat transferring relation witha substantial length of said exhaust pipe, said means comprising ajacket surrounding and spaced from the comparatively hot portion of theexhaust pipe extending toward the engine, means for inducing air flowthrough said jacket by the velocity of exhaust gases discharged throughsaid exhaust pipe, independent means selectively operable to pass airthrough said jacket, and means for selectively discharging heated airpassed through the jacket by the last mentioned means either to theatmosphere outside said room or into the room atmosphere.-

15. In a stationary engine plant, the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from the interior to the exterior of a room and connectedto an engine therein, means for taking air from the atmosphere outsidesaid room and 75 ent of the last mentioned means selectivelyoperconducting the airalong and in heat transferring relation with asubstantial length of said exhaust pipe, said means comprising a jacketsurrounding and spaced from the comparatively hot portion of the exhaustpipe extending toward the engine, means for inducing air flow throughsaid jacket by the velocity of exhaust gases discharged through saidexhaust pipe, independent means selectively operable to pass air throughsaid jacket, and means forselecti vely discharging heated air passedthrough the jacket by the last mentioned means either to the atmosphereoutside said room or into the room atmosphere.

16. In a stationary engine plant, the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from the interior to the exterior of a room and connectedto an engine therein, a mufller connected to the exhaust pipe outsidesaid room, a conduit surrounding said exhaust pipe and muflier andforming a passage communicable with the muiiier outlet and through whichair is conducted in heat transferring relation with the exhaust pipe,means for inducing air flow through said conduit by the velocity ofexhaust gases discharged irom the muflier, and selectively operablemeans independent of the last mentioned means for discharging the heatedair from said conduit into the atmosphere of said room.

1'7. In a stationary engine plant, the combination comprising an exhaustpipe extending from the interior to the exterior of a room and con-"nected to an engine therein, a muflier connected to the exhaust pipeoutside said room, a conduit surrounding said exhaust pipe and muflierand forming a passage communicable with the muflier outlet and throughwhich air is conducted in heat transferring relation with the exhaustpipe, means -for inducing air flow through said conduit by the velocityof exhaust gases discharged from the muflier, and selectively operablemeans independent of the last mentioned means for discharging the heatedair from said conduit into the atmosphere oi said room, the lastmentioned means including a motor driven blower discharging the heatedair from a. point at the outside or the room into the interior thereof.

JOHN ,S. FLUOR, JR. PARK W. ASH.

